ReGround
A deck of cards and an app that gives those who struggle with PTSD and emotion regulation tools to communicate what they need and learn coping skills that work for them.
Preface
Emotion regulation is the ability to manage and control your emotional state. It can range from feelings of anger, anxiety, or frustration, to more intense reactions like high-risk behaviors, substance use, or even losing touch with reality. Everyone experiences moments of emotional dysregulation from time to time, and it’s not limited to those with mental health challenges. However, people dealing with mental illness often find it harder to balance their emotions, manage their reactions, and bounce back when things feel overwhelming. Being able to name what you're feeling or what triggered you is a helpful step in regaining control and grounding yourself.
I have C-PTSD (complex PTSD) and struggled for a long time with emotion regulation. When I’m in the middle of a panic attack, I often become nonverbal, which is especially common for people with the fawn or freeze response in the fight-flight-freeze-or-fawn cycle. I know what I want to say, but the words just don’t come out. It can feel really isolating and frustrating, especially when I’m with someone else. In those moments, I’d have to gesture for my phone and use the notes app—usually with shaky hands—to write down what was going on. I lost the ability to communicate both with myself and with others. I knew I needed a way to express what I was feeling and what I needed, even if it was just to myself.
That’s why I decided to create a deck of cards with “I need” or “I am” statements. These are meant to help me, or anyone, communicate what’s needed in the moment, whether that’s with someone else or just with yourself. Even when you’re alone, recognizing and naming your emotions gives you the opportunity to decide how to respond to them. It helps you step back, get out of your head, and be more present in the moment. Once you can label the emotion you're experiencing, you can create some distance from it and have the space to choose how to respond, instead of being controlled by triggers or unhealthy impulses.
When someone starts to feel overwhelmed, they can use this deck by flipping through the cards or going straight to the one that speaks to them in that moment. Each card has a hole at the top, so you can easily keep them on a ring and take them with you wherever you go, creating your own personalized "toolkit." This way, you can keep the cards that work best for you close by and access them quickly when you need them most. As you discover which coping skills resonate with you or what emotions you experience most often, you can add new cards to the ring or remove any that no longer apply. While I also created an app for this purpose, I wanted the physical deck to be the core of the experience. Having something tangible to hold, flip through, and interact with can help anchor you in reality and bring you back to the present moment.
I created an app to complement the deck of cards because there are features that a digital format can offer that a physical deck simply can’t. Many mental health apps today are primarily auditory-based, with guided meditations or podcasts. I remember really wanting these tools to work for me when I first found them, but I soon realized that I’m not an auditory person—I need something that actively engages me and helps pull me out of my thoughts. This app would provide interactive activities, like games and writing prompts, designed to help users connect with the content in a way that feels engaging and grounded.
Research
I reached out to online communities focused on PTSD and C-PTSD to learn about what has worked for others when they experience emotional dysregulation. Many shared that having something tactile—like a glass of water, ice, playdough, a blanket, a pet, a fidget toy, or lotion—was especially helpful in those moments. Others mentioned that moving their body, whether through exercise, yoga, or dancing, or simply walking around, helped them regain a sense of control. It was a fairly even split between those who preferred to be alone and those who found comfort in physical contact, like a hug, or simply having someone nearby. The most common emotions shared were anxiety, irritability, and feeling overwhelmed.